Pressing Forward In Stewardship

This is a sermon about pressing forward in still worship. Still worship is about committing one's life and possessions to God's service and recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God. We are stewards of God's resources and we must manage them for His glory and the betterment of His creation. We are accountable to God and expected to be faithful in our assignments and use our gifts to serve others. Our gifts should not be wasted or damaged, but put into use for the benefit of others. dedikado para el curso del Evangelio en el nombre de JESUS. Vamos abrir la Biblia para el libro de Sáenz, el libro de Sáenz, veinticuatro. Verso número uno. La tierra y todo en ella, el mundo y sus habitantes pertenecen al SEÑOR. La tierra y todo en ella, el mundo y sus habitantes pertenecen al SEÑOR. Génesis uno veintiséis, Génesis uno doce. Entonces Dios dijo, hagamos de hombres en nuestra imagen, de acuerdo con nuestra similitud. Ellos regularon los peces del mar, las luces del cielo, los animales, toda la tierra y las criaturas que cruzan en la tierra. El primer Corintiano, capítulo cuatro. El primer libro de Corintiano, capítulo cuatro. Una persona debería considerarnos de esta manera, como servidores de Cristo, como servidores de los misterios de Dios. Verso número dos, por favor. En este aspecto, es esperado de los servidores que cada uno sea considerado justo. Es de literal importancia that I should be evaluated by you or by human cause. In fact, I don't even evaluate myself, for I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. The one who evaluates me is the Lord. Therefore, don't judge anything prematurely before the Lord comes. When we both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intention of the heart, and then praise will come to each one from God. Hallelujah. I'm pressing on, now upward we, new hearts I'm giving, evening every day. Stay praying up, I'm on water, no one's my feet on earth. Hallelujah. Don't lift me up, I'll take it down. I'm on water, no one's my feet on earth. Hallelujah. Don't lift me up, I'll take it down. Hallelujah. Don't lift me up, I'll take it down. I'm on water, no one's my feet on earth. Hallelujah. Don't lift me up, I'll take it down. I'm on water, no one's my feet on earth. I just want you to pray, Lord speak to me in this service. Let me hear your word expressly. Let me hear your word expressly, Lord speak to me. Give me an open heart to receive your word this morning. Just pray that simple prayer, Lord help me to get the truth from your word. In Jesus precious name we pray. Our dear father we thank you for your word, we appreciate you for the reading of your word and I pray Lord that the interpretation will be made clean and clear to us and our heart will be receptive enough to accommodate your word. Thank you father because I know you will speak to us in your own will and your own way and your name alone will be exalted for we pray in Jesus name. This is our year of pressing forward and we will not be over, we will not overemphasize it because the word of God is always new. So this morning I will be talking on pressing forward in still worship. Pressing forward in still worship. What is still worship? It is a commitment of one's life and possession to God's service. Commitment of one's life and possession to God's service. Recognizing that we do not have the right of control over our property or ourselves. Still worship. Still worship can be defined again as recognizing that everything that we have and everything we are, everything that we have and everything that we are is a gift from God. And being grateful and generous with those gifts. Still worship. For you and I sir, to recognize that whatever we have, everything that we have and everything that we are is a gift from God and we must remain grateful and generous with those gifts that God has given unto us. Still worship. Still worship has to talk about utilizing and managing all resources. Utilizing and managing all resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation. All that God has provided for you. All that God has provided for me, using it for the betterment of His creation. Can I hear somebody say God owns everything about me? Say it, let me hear you now. If you believe me say it better, Amen now. The scriptures say the earth is the Lord and everything in it, including you, including me. The earth is the Lord. If I recognize that God owns me, God owns everything that I possess, I will not be struggling with God any longer. But many of us are children of God, we have not come to this understanding that everything that we have, we own it and we get it from who? From God. And I pray that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes this morning to this clear understanding and we will flow in this revelation in the mighty name of Jesus. Not only that God, He is the one that owns everything and everything that we have belongs to Him. He also holds us responsible. To who? We are responsible to who? To God. Owners have rights, stewards have responsibilities. Hello, we have some of our managers in this church, home managers, estates, managers, businesses for people. The owner of that business have what? Rights. But you as a steward, you have what? Responsibility. And as an accountable steward, you are expected to do your job in such a manner that you can give an account of who? Of yourself unto your master. Do we see ourselves as stewards of God's resources? We must become responsible to God and we must be ready to give an account unto what? Unto Him. The scripture we read in the book of Corinthians, brother Paul was talking to the Corinthian brethren of the mystery of God that had been committed into his hands. And brother Paul says, let a man show account of us as of ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. We are servants of God. We are managers of God's resources. And he went on to say, moreover it is required that a servant, a steward must be found what? Faithful. I used to give my own definition of faithfulness and I say faithfulness means someone that his faith in God is full. Are we together? If your faith in God is not full, if you do not understand the mind of God, it will be very difficult for you to do some things that God will expect you to do because faith is that thing you have not seen but you believe in. Are we together now? If faith is that thing you have not seen and you believe in, you can go to an extra mile because God is the one telling you to do what He wants you to do. We are expected to be faithful in the assignment of the kingdom that has been given unto us. The assignment of the kingdom has been given into our hands. Which account are you going to give? Which account am I going to give? If the owner of the world will come to ask us to come and give account, which account will you give? These are questions we must ask ourselves and we must be able to provide an answer as we look into the scripture this morning. As leaders of those peoples, we are to be faithful in our assignment. Sunday school teachers that are here, today is the last Sunday of the month of enlargement campaign and I think it has become just a noise, not a practice any longer. As a Sunday school teacher, in this month of enlargement campaign, what account of yourself can you give? If the owner of the world will come today and ask you, as a Sunday school teacher, which account are you going to give? Are you going to give account of the evangelism you have attended? Are you going to give account of the offerings you have given? Are you going to give account of the prayer you have prayed? Are you going to give account of the visitation and follow up that you have been able to make? It is expected of us that everyone may find us faithful. As usher, it is in this church I discovered it is only on Sunday and after Sunday school you will see usher. And I am still asking myself, am I in a rightful place? Because there are practices here that you don't see elsewhere. As an usher, are you faithful in your assignment? As a leader in one department or the other, are you faithful in your assignment? We have a lot of choir members in the congregation today. If the owner of the world will come, will he find you as your duty was? Duty post. Can I have 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 10. 1 Peter chapter 4 verse number 10. Paul, Peter and Apollos, they were stewards of God in the sense that they had been entrusted with the gospel. Based on the gift they have received. Praise God. Praise the name of the Lord. Based on the gift they have received. Somebody say everyone. If you are in the house and you know that God has blessed you with a gift, can I see you stand? If you know you have a gift, God has blessed you with a gift, let me see you stand. You know, don't stand because other people are standing up. If you know you don't have any gift, you can sit down. But if you know that you have a gift, at least one, you have one gift, stand to your feet. Okay, sit down. Praise God. Now, get me that very scripture again please. 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 10. Based on the gift that you have received. Everyone, everyone, to do what? To do what? Everyone should use it to serve others. The next question you should be able to answer now is that, have you received gifts? Have I been able to use my gift to do what? That gift of yours, that God has given you, that God has endowed you with, whether you have the gift of prayer, you have the gift of visiting, you have the gift of evangelism, you have the gift of prophesying, you have the gift of preaching, you have the gift of teaching, you have the gift of giving gifts or giving money to people. Which of these gifts has people benefited from you? And Paul, Peter was saying to that very people that now that you have received this one, everyone should use it to serve others. As who? As who? As good manager of the very grace of God. Your grace is not my grace. Your gifting is not my gifting. The understanding you have about life is not the same thing with mine. But whatever is that thing that you have been blessed with, God is saying in this morning, somebody need to use that gift to benefit who? Others. Then if you have a gift and others are not benefiting from it, then it is of no use. It is of no use. Your gift must not be damaged. Your gift must not be damaged. Your gift must be put into use. You must be able to do something with what God has blessed you with so that other people can benefit from it. That is why we are talking about pressing forward the worst in still worship, knowing fully that that gift is not your own. Praise God. Praise God. I don't know whether some of us who are old age remember you have witnessed a drama in some of our churches before. In those days where they will always choose song leaders, they will choose one brother or choose one sister as song leader. And because the brother or the sister is so gifted, the pastor has prayed, the deacon has prayed and the sister or the brother is so gifted. And that very Sunday, the hope of the leadership of the church will be what? Will be dashed. And the brother or the sister will not be in service. No information, nothing to tell the leadership, I am not coming to the church. And everybody will begin to wonder, what has happened today? Are we not going to see somebody that will sing? But one thing I want to tell somebody here is that God can never be disappointed. Am I talking to somebody here? Do you hear me? God can never be. It is only man that can be disappointed. We are thinking things like that when the real man or woman or boy or girl that is supposed to play or perform a role in the church is not there. Before you know it, God will just raise somebody that will serve that purpose and bring honor to his world, to his name. Somebody shout hallelujah. As a steward of God's resources, as a steward of God's gifts, what are you doing with what God has given unto you? The Lord will help us in Jesus' name. Good stewards are always resourceful. Good stewards are always what? Resourceful. Good stewards are always what? Resourceful. They have what it takes. I think I read from the scripture, the Bible says, since Joseph entered into the house of Potiphar, he handed everything into what? Into his hands. And my Bible says everything. Somebody say everything. Prosper in the hand of who? Joseph. Because God was what? Was with him. God was with him. He was a good steward and he had all the resources to make his service in the house of Potiphar to the world profitable. Praise God. Good stewards use material resources to influence people in spiritual ways. When you have gifts, I remember in the early 80s or late 92 or late 80s, when a new brother joins a church, when a new convert joins a church, you will be attached to a vibrant brother who is either prayerful or is good in follow up and what? An evangelism and at every given time, you will follow that brother out, either for your class purpose or for the church purpose, so that at the end of the day, it's a way of mentoring the young convert so that they will become something better. Good stewards use their material resources to influence people in a positive way and in a spiritual way. One thing with God is this. What matters to God is what we do with what we have, not what we have. Did you hear me? What matters to God is what we do with what we have, not essentially what we want, what we have. I can have 100,000 and I will use it for myself, but somebody can have 10,000 and they will use 8,000 for God and for God's purpose. Did you get that point? Somebody can have a million naira and use it for himself or use it for God and another person will have 100,000 and use it for what? For himself. What matters to God is what we do with what we have. Oh, I don't have much, fine. That which you have, what do you do with it? Knowing fully that it is the one that has given you power to make work. Listen, let's be very practical this morning. This is an enlargement campaign period and I want to ask you a question. With all that you have committed to our Sunday school for this year, can it be compared with what God has blessed you with? With what you have committed to our Sunday school this year, with what you have committed to our Sunday school or you will commit to our Sunday school even after now, can it ever be compared with what God has blessed you with? It is expected of a steward. To be found who? Come and talk to me. To be found who? To be found faithful. God will help us in Jesus' name. We have stewardship of time. Stewardship of what? Talk to me. Stewardship of what? Every man is given 24 hours in a day and how do you use your 24 hours? You have 24 hours in a day. Can you give account of how you use your 24 hours? My good friends, teenagers that are here, out of 24 hours, how many hours will you be on phone? I don't know whether some of us have seen the current trend that is happening even on social media now, that some marriages are having challenges because of the influence of what? Social media. Are we together? A married woman will carry food and she is cooking the soup we bought and even when the children are falling down and rolling on themselves, that is not her work, that is not her business. She is with what? Stewardship of what? Of time. Some people in the day, they are on phone. In the night, they are on phone. On the bed, they are on phone. Listen, I used to say to all the rich men, don't sleep. They don't know why. They want to maintain their work, their level and as a result of that, they will put in extra work, extra time to what they are doing so that what they are doing will produce more work, more results. But you are wrong. You will move from the end of Walana to the end of Bomiya Lake and you will be going there talking, cook and book stories. Our Obasanjo left the place for Buhari and Buhari has given it to Tinumpu to continue. What did I say? It will not be long. You will have understanding of life. It is expected of you to make good use of your time. I think they used to sing that song. Can I sing it? Some of you, teenagers and students here, it is when it is time to submit your assignment, you will not remember, they give you what? You have wasted all the time. And I was told that procrastination is the thief of what? Procrastination is not thief of money. It is procrastination that is the thief of what? This is what. By 12, I will do it. By 1, I will do it. By 2, I will do it. And tomorrow, I will do it. From tomorrow to, from next tomorrow to, and from Friday to Sunday, and from Sunday to church. We stay too long in the church. When you are watching television, you didn't stay too long. When you are playing, you didn't stay too long. It is only when you are in the church, you have stayed too long. Still worship of what? Time. If Jesus is our master, I will show you from the scripture, how Jesus used his own time. Did you hear me? I just want to show you from the scripture, how Jesus used his own time. Mark chapter 1. Mark chapter 1. It is a long reading from verse 21. It is a long reading. Mark chapter 1. And they went into Capernaum. Verse 21 please. And they went into Capernaum. And straightway on the Saturday, he entered into the synagogue. And he did what? That was on Sunday. He did what? He entered into the synagogue and what? And taught. You know the Jewish land, it is on Saturday they have their what? Their congregation. And they were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one that had what? And not as the Christ. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out saying, leave us alone. What have we to do with thee? Thou Jesus of Nazareth, art thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him saying, hold thy peace and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed. He saw God that they questioned among themselves saying, what thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority commanded him even the unclean spirit and they do obey him. And immediately his faith spread abroad throughout all the regions round about Galilee. And forthwith when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. For Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever. And anon they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. And immediately the fever did work. Left her and she ministered unto them. And at eve, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And it did work. He healed many that were weak of disease and cast out many devils and suffered not the devil to speak because they knew him. Jesus our master was fully engaged. He had a serious activity from preaching in the synagogues. He went to a place and cast out demons. He went to a place and laid him on the seat. He was busy doing the work of the ministry which was with his time. What do you do with your time? I do say to us here all the time. Somebody is making money and you are shouting Ronaldo. See the way Ronaldo pushed. I pity your life. It will not be long. If you do not make good use of your time, you will know that time has passed. It was before they used to say full at where? Now full at what? Full at twenty. If at eighteen you do not have direction for your life, you will need to come here. Let me lay a hand on you so that the Holy Ghost will come upon you so that you can have direction for your life. You are busy there? Hey Ronaldo. I used to be at a church. I do not know what they call that coach. This is a Chelsea coach. Thank you. You are there. One of my deacons in that church, every time Morio, Morio, Morio. I ask him one day, is your name Morio? Morio is busy making money and training people to make money. You are home, you are driving, and you are fishing out in Morio. Wasting your time. You will give account of your time. Jesus our master made good use of his time. You know there are people who can get from money to us tonight. Every time it is talk, talk, talk, talk, service to me. Once upon a time, when the people were small. And now that the people have mercy, now that the people have God, continue. What did I say? Wasting your time. You must make good use of your what? Good use of your what? Good use of your time to build capacity. To prepare yourself for tomorrow. To endow God's grace upon your life so that you can stand tall among your peers and be able to declare the mandate of God for your generation. Jesus made good use of his time. I suffered 34, but if you get to place 35, you will discover the man that was busy, busy, busy, casting out demons, healing the sick, buying early money. Very early in the morning, the same man rose up to do us to pray. Praise God. The man went to one place and was there to do us to pray. He didn't say, I have labored too much, I am tired. Even when they ask you to wake up and pray, you don't know the work we have done yesterday. Brother, the Bible makes us to understand that since the time of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God was suffering violence. You must be alert in the realm of the Spirit. No matter what you do, your spiritual antennae must be on so that you can be able to challenge every power that is challenging the authority of God over your life. I pray for you today and I ask that the hand of God may rest mightily upon you in the mighty name of Jesus. Ephesians chapter 5 verse number 15. Are you there? Pay careful attention then to how you walk. Huh? How you do what? Pay careful attention then to how you walk. Walk not as unwise people, but as who? Pay special attention to your life. Listen, if you fail to pay special attention to your life, nobody will do it for you. You need to sit down and ask yourself pertinent questions. Where am I coming from? Where am I going to? What is happening around me? Questions that it is only you that can answer. Listen, there are things that nobody will do for you except you do them for yourself. And that is why I don't believe of shifting blame to anybody. I hold on to anything that happens around me to myself because I will give account of myself to my God. Pay attention to your life. Pay attention to how you walk. Pay attention to where you go. Pay attention to what you do. And when you pay attention to this, can I have that scripture again brother? Yes. When you pay attention, give me verse 15. Pay attention, not as unwise people, but as who? As who? A wise man will always sit down and look at his life. A wise man will always look and sit down and look at his life. What is happening around me? Listen, most of the things that are happening to us, they are not demons. Some of them are our handwork. Now we think our hands cause trouble for ourselves. We have shouted so much of demons and demons are trying to gain ground in our life. But let me announce to somebody, there is a name that is above every other name. The name Jesus. When you have Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour, every demonic influences over you, they will be subdued because there is a name that no power can resist. And that is the power of God. Praise God. Praise the name of the Lord. Still worship of time. Number two, still worship of talent. Still worship of what? Talent. James chapter 1 verse number 17. Still worship of talent. The book of James chapter number 1 verse number 17 says, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from whom? And coming down from the Father of life, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of word of tongue. There is no gift that you have. Baba Kwaya Master, that gift of Kwaya Master, now God was giving it to him. There is no gift any man here has that is not given to him by whom? By God. Like the illustration I gave earlier, God will always have people to serve his purpose at any given time. Hello, are you here? God will always have us. Even when choirs have been disbanded, you pick melodies of praise and sing from it and the name of the Lord is what? Is glorified. True or false? When the band members are not serious, are not committed, you put them aside, everybody sing and we all sing to the glory of whom? Sing to the glory of God. The gift that you have been given, how are you making use of that gift? We know the story in the book of Matthew chapter 25 and any time I read that scripture, I will always remember the greatness of God and the love of God towards man. Matthew chapter 25, please do me a favour and do yourself a help by opening your Bible to Matthew 25. Matthew 25. I will be reading from verse number 14. You know the story but I want us to read it. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another what? To another two and to another one. To every man according to his several abilities and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. Somebody say but. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth and he is lost money. After a long time the Lord of those servants came and reconnected with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying, Lord thou deliverest unto me, how many? Behold I have gained beside them five talents more. His Lord said unto him, well done thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things and will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord thou deliverest unto me two talents. Behold I have gained two other talents beside them. His Lord said unto him, well done good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things and will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Let's read it together now, verse 24. Then he which has received one talent came and said, Lord I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not straw. And I was afraid and went and hid thy talents in the earth. Lord, there thou hast that is thine. His Lord answered unto him, thou wicked and slothful servant. Amen. It was the man who first called his Lord, thou hard man. Is that your Bible? He said, I know that you are a hard person. And the Lord also replied that you are a wicked and slothful servant. Other people make use of their own. I don't know what they call it in mathematics, what they call that one, that when you bring five you add another five, whether it is geometry or astronomical progression. The economists people are here. The other man had two, he added another two. But he gave one person one and he did nothing about it. If the Lord will ask you this morning, what have you done with the gift I gave you? What is going to be your answer? Are you going to answer like this man and call the Lord, thou hard person. I know that you are a hard person. And God also will answer you, I know that you are what? Wicked and slothful servant. You can sing, but where are you in the choir? You can teach, where are you in the Sunday school? You can visit, where are you in the follow up and evangelism? That gift, when I ask every one of us, if you know that you have a particular gift, stand up. I think in my faith, my eye will not deceive me, almost 90% of us stood up. But among 90% of us in this church, what is that that you are doing with your gift in this church? There is one Yoruba song that I like to sing and I will always call my mother here, my mother and brother to help me to sing it better. Because there are people who are just like that. And who are those people? They say, Amen. They say make you contribute money, you don't contribute. They brought drum, make you dance, you don't dance. They say make you sing, you don't sing. And the man asked, what actually is your work? Many of us may not understand, I will always appreciate the people that used to come here every Saturday to sweep this place. Because if possible one Saturday or one Sunday, you will come here and they will say to sweep, it is then you will know their work. If this place is not taken care of, you know, I used to be a funny person, in my first pioneer church, we were very small and nobody was doing such things. And when we come on Sunday, some people that have never been to church from Sunday to Sunday, when they come, they will begin to do like this, this place nobody clean it. One day I met one, I said what stops you from cleaning it? Sit on it like that. Have you employed anybody here to be what? To be cleaning it for you? If I play my role, if you play your role as a Sunday school teacher, if the deacons play their role, departmentals play their role, everyone of us have a responsibility to do what? To carry on. Carry on and listen to me once again, we shall all give account of our word, of ourselves unto the Lord. Romans chapter 12 verse 6, Romans chapter 12 verse number 6. Is somebody there to read for us? Having then give, go ahead. Having then give, let us pray to the Spirit, and to the Holy Spirit. Let us pray to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, and to the Holy Spirit. Go ahead. It's ok sir. Give us another translation please from the media, so that we can break it down for others to hear. Praise God. Having given faculties, talents, qualities that give according to the grace given us, let us use them. Let us what? Come on talk to me. Let us do what? He who gives his prophecy, let him what? According to the proportion of his faith. He who gives his practical service, let him give himself to serving. If your own is to serve, give yourself to what? To serving. He who teaches to his work, teaching, go ahead. He who exalts, that is those who encourage him to his exaltation. He who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and what? Liberality. He who gives aid and superintends with zeal and singleness of mind, he who does acts of mercy with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness. Go ahead sir. Let your love be what? Say it again. Let your love be what? Everything. Hate what is evil. Lose all ungodliness. Turn in horror from wickedness. But hold fast to that which is good. The Lord will help us in Jesus name. Stewardship of gifts. What is that gift that God has given to you? Stewardship of the gospel. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto us unto salvation. It has been committed into our hands to preach to us the gospel, to take the gospel out to people. Thank God for few of our brethren who came around yesterday and those who came around the other Saturday. Throughout this October, whether you are a leader or you are led, have you ever one day, with all the shout of enlargement campaign, taken the trust and give to somebody in the name of evangelism? It is coming soon, it is coming soon, with joy we welcome its return. It may be in the body, I know, it is coming to you. The question is that if it comes, what account will you give about yourself? If the master comes, what account will you give about yourself? What account will the leadership of the church give about you? What account? What account, that is the question. If we all realize that we shall give account of ourselves one day to the master, then it is time for us to check our life once again. And as we check our life once again, we walk in light of the gospel, he shall be with us in the mighty name of Jesus. Paul was talking to the Corinthian brethren, and I want to close with that. In the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 8, sorry 2 Corinthians 8, Paul was talking to a group of persons. 2 Corinthians chapter 8 media, if you can get it for us, fine. From verse number 1. Moreover, get us another translation please. Thank you. We want to tell you further brethren about the grace, the favour and spiritual blessings of God which have been evident in the churches of Macedonia, arousing in them the desire to give alms. For in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty together have overflowed in wealth of lavish generosity on their part. For as I can bear witness, they gave according to their worth, ability, years and beyond their worth, and they did it for lawfully. Go ahead. Begging us most insistently for the favour and the fellowship of contributing in this ministration for the relief and support of the saints in Jerusalem. Nor was this gift of theirs merely the contribution that we expected. For strength they gave themselves, to whom? To the Lord and to us as His agents, by the will of God, entirely disregarding their personal interest. Are you with me? They gave as much as they possibly could, having put themselves at our disposal to be directed by the will of God. You know the story, how there was a need in Jerusalem, and Paul was talking to the Macedonian people of the need to go and help the church over there. We have the Jewish church, we have the Gentile church, but these Macedonian brethren, they are visually who? Gentiles. These are the places that Paul and others have preached the gospel, and now they came back to them and they are telling them, there is a need in Jerusalem that we need to respond to. And the Bible says, the first thing they did was to give themselves unto God. Hear me, until you give yourself to God, you cannot give your resource to God. I heard everyone come talking to us this morning about covenant of giving. There are many of us here, seated here, you have been a member for 20 years, 15 years, you have been working 20 years, 15 years, to pay tithes is very difficult for you. The simple answer is that, go and read your Bible, you have not given yourself, because if you give yourself to God, to give your resource to God, we will not be what? We will not be a problem. Why? You have read from the book of Psalms that the earth is full, and everything works, and God has told us in the book of Psalms, if he is hungry, he knows what to do. Am I communicating? Most of the time our deacon will always tell us, whenever we bring our tithes here, it is not for pastor, they have their reason for paying it again and again. Because many people feel that when they are giving to their tithes, or giving their offering, they are giving to whom? They are giving to pastor. The Lord will help us in Jesus name. And a pastor like myself, I have two cars already, praise God. See all this money, where they carry it to church, you know see pastor, they use two cars, I will soon buy another one now, praise God. If you believe that God is able to prosper your pastor to buy another car, shout hallelujah. By the grace of God, any pastor also who prays to understand this scripture, on the power of giving, you will discover, are there no pastors who are poor today? It is not the tithe dues, it is not the name, it is the responsibility attached to your work, to your commitment to the peace of the kingdom. Pastors, they gave themselves first to whom? To God. Listen, if you are salarying 100,000 and you have not given yourself to God, so bring 10,000 with the worst, it is very difficult. You see some brethren doing this, doing that, doing this, doing that for God, you think they are foolish? No. They gave themselves first to God and they gave themselves to us, back to us. There are members that pastors cannot talk to because they know more than pastors. But the scripture says, these brethren, they gave themselves first to God and they gave themselves to the servant of God. You cannot remove it from the scripture, and I am not the writer. These men, they saw the need of going, and the Bible says they did it beyond their worth, ability. If you have ever seen poor man before, go and read that scripture. The Bible says, how that in a great trial of affliction, praise God. One of the things I used to enjoy in village church setting, is that those men and women, they don't go to school, but they understand God. They don't hear my English at all. Village setting church, the membership, they don't go to school, but they do what? They understand God. When you see those old men and old women, they just want to do because the man of God, or the servant of God, or God has asked us to do it. That's enough for me. I need no other. I need no other. I pray. It is enough. That is enough. That is enough. I need no other. I need no other. I need no other. I need no other. I need no other. The Bible says for those who are all of the world, that the gain is only because of the Son. If God has given His only begotten Son to man, what else can I not give unto God? That would be so precious to me, that I cannot give to Him. As a record of my still worship unto this great and mighty God. I asked you earlier, and I want to ask you again. Compare with what you have in your pocket and your account, with what you give to God in this enlargement campaign. Is this a reality or story? I said it before that God is not moved by what you give. He is moved by what He has given unto you. Ability. These men and women that we read about, they were in trial, serious affliction, they are in poverty. But they say no, we can't be here and the work of God do us suffer. We can't be here and the work of God suffer. No, we cannot be here and things will not be going on well here. I don't know whether somebody will have taken note. We have been sold this AC for three weeks now, or four. We have not been able to use it. There are technical problems. And some of those technical problems has to do with money. But I cannot stand up. It was there yesterday to put everything on. Before you know it, they came over there, quick fire. Yes, because the load is much. We need men and women that will give us money, say go and buy better cable and install this thing. Let's enjoy God in this house. Somebody shout hallelujah now. Some of you, when we installed it, you were very much happy. But you have not enjoyed it for any day now. Have you ever enjoyed it? You have not enjoyed it. We need more cables. We need people to do the work of God. I remember, I won't mention anybody's name. And it is not one of those persons you know. But brother Akalu is here. Where is Akalu? He is the only person who knows. It was one of our brothers that Akalu told that the keyboard that we are using is not good any longer. Before you know it, that our brother released this keyboard that we are using now. Before you know it, only him alone provided this drum set. Before you know it, whether you call it lead guitar or you call it which one, bass guitar. He provided it again. But your own, even to give 100 Naira offering, you will crumble. Hear me today. You are a steward of God's resources. If you know that what you have is given to you by God, and God has the power to ask you for it, rise up. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. I want to pray with you. Listen. It is not enough to know that you are doing wrong. The best is for you to take a decision for a change. Did you hear me? It is not enough to know that you are worse. But the best for you is to take a decision towards to make a change. When our daddy was asking those of you, if you know you have been paid, come out. I saw a lot of us there seated. You are working. Every time they beg you, they encourage you, they preach to you, they counsel you to pay your tithes. Hear me? There are some of our churches if you get there, and I will never do that. I have never done that before. They will always go and put banner in the church premises. If your faith is tight, things will be tight for you. They will write it all over the church hall. Maybe when you see that, it will now motivate you towards to do the right thing. You don't need to wait till then. Did you hear me? You don't need to wait till then before you know the right thing to do. And when you do the right thing, it shall be well with you. Bow down your heads as we pray. I want you to pray for yourself. Are you a steward of God's resources? What are you doing with what God has blessed you with? Some of you here, you have been blessed with houses. Houses. You have houses. You have building of your own. We have landlords and landlady in this church. But to give unto God is difficult for you. You are a landlord. You are a landlady. Our thanksgiving is coming now. Even to contribute 20,000 in your group or even 5,000 will be difficult. But you are a landlord. God has preserved you for one full year. You cannot give God one goat. You cannot give God one bag of rice. Landlord. Are you a landlord? You are a landlady. You are a car owner here. Remember, you are a steward of God's resources. Oh, you don't have a house of your own. Oh, you are not a landlord. But your capital base of your business is over 3 million. You can take 3 million. You can take 2 million to do something for yourself. But you can never take even 200,000 to do anything for God. You can't be a steward of God's resources. It is expected of us as a steward to be fan-worthy. Faithful. And when we become faithful, heaven in turn will reward us. And we'll have something to show to our generation that serving God is not a waste. I want to make a declaration unto somebody this morning. Your service in the house of God will never be a waste. Your service in the house of God will never be a waste. In the mighty name of Jesus. Pray for yourself. I want you to pray for yourself. Pray for yourself. Are you pressing forward or you are going backward? Are you pressing forward in stewardship? Have you discovered you are a steward of God's resources?